Helping my girl have a great start to her life…

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Month: February 2017

It was a typical day in that, after school, we stopped off at a local health food store for a snack. She grabbed my hand leaned into me as we approached the entrance.

Her – “I love you.”

Me – “How did I get so lucky to have you for a daughter?”

Her – “Because you love me.”

Me – But, before you were born, I had no idea that I even wanted a child.”

Her – “Your Heart knew.”

Me – “You’re saying that my Heart knew what my mind didn’t?”

Her – “Yeah.”

Often, we are confused about what we want in life. Our minds become fixated with notions that we think will fulfill us. But, somewhere deep inside, our Heart knows what we want all along. We have to try to listen to the whispers and feel its pull.

On the way to school, she sort of sneezed and, well, let’s just say, the evidence was there between her nose and lip. A bit gross, fine, but it’s human.

Her – “Uh… Daddy. I… need a tissue.”

Me – “Oh… uh…”

I looked around quickly, checked the compartment between the seat. Maybe her lunch box napkin? Darn, I forgot that. I quickly took a piece of paper I use for lunch box notes and crumpled it up to soften it.

Me – “Here. It’s not great, but it’s a start.”

She grabbed it and gave it a go. Not very effective.

I looked around for clothing that she had left behind from prior trips. Darn. The one time I want a messy car, and it’s clean! Wait. I could use…

Took off my shoe and peeled off the sock from my left foot.

Me – “Here.”

She looked at me a bit confused sort of chuckled and then took it.

Me – “Go for it. Blow into it. It’s clean. I just showered. I just put it on.”

She cleared her nose and face.

Me – “Better?”

Her – “Much better!”

After dropping her off, I stopped at the grocery store and shopped with one sock. Nobody seemed to notice. Still, should you, at some point in your journey, see someone with only one sock, don’t judge. They may have just been a sock hero.

Well, sock hero or not, add it to the list of things you only learn growing up with a Daddy. God only knows what I would have come up with if I had been wearing sandals.

Yep. I intended to get her to sleep by 8:30pm. Didn’t happen. I intended to wake her up from her peaceful slumber by 7am. Didn’t happen. So, we were operating at warp speed to get to school. There were moments where I felt like using a loud, urgent voice, but I refrained. This morning, I made it playful. I sprinted across the house like I was being chased by a wild boar, getting dressed, finishing packing her lunch, all while singing a movie thriller type song. She played along, of course, and zoned in. Out the door we raced, collapsing in the car just in time to leave on time to make it to school on time. I breathed a sigh of relief, handed over her avocado breakfast and started pulling out.

Her – “Oh no, I forgot a sock.”

Moment of decision.

That lecturing side of me wanted to come up and give her a piece of my mind. But it was just a flash. It was replaced quickly with a thought-

Me – “This is my fault. I got her to bed late. I got her up late. It’s way too little time for her.”

I felt that playful Daddy surging.

Me – “Let’s do it!”

I opened the car door and started bolting towards the house singing my cinematic movie theme. She knew I was making it fun, so she played right along, sprinting with me. As we raced through the house to our bedroom areas, we were both laughing.

Seeing one in her playroom

Me – “There!”

Her – “It doesn’t match size.”

We laughed and ran on. I went to the laundry pile and she to her room. Moments later-

Her – “Got it!”

We raced, laughing to the car and collapsed pulling out about 1 minute late. As I pulled out of our driveway, the bus, signaling we were a bit behind schedule passed us.

Me – “To a safe and fun journey.”

We arrived at school on time without speeding. It was just in time for her to get to carline.

It’s such a stupid thing to be there by 8am, it’s a wonder I ever play along, but I did.

It’s not being on time that I’m pleased with, though. It’s that, in the thick of life and facing pressure and an unmet expectation with her sock, I took responsibility and chose understanding and playfulness.

A parenting win.

God knows, one stumbles here and there enough as a parent. It’s always nice to see signs of growth. She might actually remember that one morning where we were Olympic Champions, racing through our house for a matching sock.

Welcome. Like countless parents, helping my child experience the best start to life that I can muster is my passion. Here I track meaningful, humorous and thought-provoking moments on the journey with my daughter.